Addiction. Quitting smoking: relapse is part of the process

Relapse is a painful experience for smokers. Statistics show that it occurs between 4 and 6 times during the quitting process. Addictologists even consider it to be part of the “adventure” of quitting smoking. Relapse is therefore the norm, not the exception.

“This term adventure is well chosen,” explains Christiane Pochulu, expert patient suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), “because each attempt to quit represents an opportunity to learn and discover how to free yourself from nicotine. The day we stop for good, we rely on all of our past experiences. »

Relapses, a step towards smoking cessation

As Christiane Pochulu assures, relapse during smoking cessation is neither a curse, nor a personal inability to quit, nor even a lack of will. It’s a step in the adventure.

“Perhaps a situation trapped you, or a strong emotion overwhelmed you: too much joy, sadness, stress or anger? You then lit a cigarette, to console yourself, relax or even reward yourself. Or maybe the method you’re using to quit smoking isn’t the right one for you. Nicotine substitutes, for example, are effective as long as they are used, but their effect does not last beyond that. »

Relapsing is a learning opportunity. But which ones?

You have relapsed, and the guilt is eating away at you. You feel unhappy. However, even if quitting smoking seems far away, or even impossible, make no mistake: the good news is that you haven’t lost anything. You have even progressed. Managing to free yourself from tobacco remains entirely possible and Christiane Pochulu has listed four lessons that you must be aware of:

• Through these relapses, you have gained experience and valuable lessons. First, your attempts to quit smoking have allowed you to become familiar with the symptoms of withdrawal, whether physical or emotional, pleasant or difficult. You also understand that, although this is a delicate step, it is only temporary.
• You have successfully identified your triggers: these happy or painful events, often linked to intense emotions, which reignited your desire to smoke and led to the relapse. You are now much more aware of your vulnerabilities in the face of cigarettes and the traps it sets for you. She seemed like a good friend, always present and available, but you ended up understanding that in reality, she is an enemy who means no good to you.
• You have had the opportunity to think about the action plan you had chosen: did you follow it to the letter, especially if it had been established with your GP or a tobacco specialist? Was it well suited to your situation? Did you receive the necessary support? Answering these questions makes you more aware to avoid the pitfalls of smoking.
• You now know that you were able to quit smoking, you have proven it. So get back on the path of adventure!